The Lady in Gray
by Jasper'sBaltimoreBabe
Summary: When the mysterious Lady Elise comes to Camelot, seeking refuge, many questions are raised. Who is she? Where does she come from? Why is she constantly afraid? And what secrets is she hiding? Possible Merlin/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So I'm going to be completely honest with you, dear readers. I have only seen the second season of Merlin. If there appears something in this story that goes against something that occurred in season one, please alert me to my error. **

**Disclaimer: I wish that I owned the cute, nerdy, young warlock named Merlin, but sadly I do not...**

"Merlin!" Prince Arthur shouted, trying to get his servant's attention. "I asked you if you had polished my armor." Seeing that Merlin was so captivated with what was outside of the castle, Arthur sighed. "What the hell is out there?"

Merlin glanced up at the prince, but his gaze quickly returned outside. "Arthur, there's a figure on horseback, just outside of the castle," Merlin replied.

Arthur scoffed. "I'm sure it's just one of the guards. You've been here long enough-"

"-To recognize a guard, yes," Merlin finished. "That's why I know it's not a guard." After a pause, Merlin added, "It almost looks like a girl."

Naturally, this caught Arthur's attention. He quickly walked over to the window. "A girl? Show me where, Merlin."

"There," Merlin said. "At the castle gate."

Indeed, there was a figure at the gate, standing next to her mount. It seemed like she was conversing with the guards, trying to gain entrance. Although her hood hid her face, the body beneath the gray cloak was almost certainly female, and the way she held herself only justified this further.

After a few more seconds, the girl remounted and rode through the castle gate, and out of sight.

"Who do you think she is?" Merlin asked, finally prying his attention away from the outside world.

"I'm sure we'll find out shortly," Arthur said as hurried footsteps sounded from the corridor.

Merlin ran to the door and opened it before the out-of-breath guard could knock.

"King Uther requests the Prince to join him in his throne room. There is a visitor," the guard reported.

"Thank you. Tell the King we'll be down momentarily," Arthur said.

The guard bowed and departed them, leaving Arthur to quickly dress in his finest clothes. After that, Arthur ran down to the throne room, Merlin on his heels. When they arrived, King Uther was talking quietly to the newcomer, who had removed her hooded cloak, revealing that she was indeed a young woman. She wore a dark gray dress, and her light brown curls cascaded down her back.

"Ah, my lady, this is my son and heir to the throne, Arthur," the King said as soon as Arthur entered the room. "Arthur, this the Lady Elise."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Elise," Arthur said as he took her hand and kissed it.

"And it is an honor to meet you, Prince Arthur," she replied with a bow. Her voice was soft, and it was neither too high nor too low; it was almost like a melody. "Tales of your bravery have reached even my people. And tales of your charm, as well," she added with a knowing smile.

Arthur smiled in return, a hint of pink coloring his cheeks. Merlin had to stifle his laughter as he took his place next to Gaius and Guinevere. Gaius greeted him with a nod, and Gwen smiled at him. Merlin looked around, suddenly realizing that Lady Morgana was not present.

"She's ill," Gwen whispered to him.

"Lady Elise," King Uther said, "I am sorry for your trouble with guards at the front gate. Had we known you were coming-"

"Do not apologize, my lord, for my father did send a letter several months ago, but the poor messenger fell prey to the bandits of my country. I saw his remains on my journey here," she said quietly. Lady Elise pulled a letter out of the small bag at her side. "This a letter my father wrote more recently, telling of our predicament. I will be happy to answer any questions that the letter does not address."

King Uther accepted the letter. "I will read this as you are settled in your chambers. Since your maid did not accompany you on your journey, Guinevere will act as your maid." Uther gestured for Gwen to join them.

Gwen quickly walked over and bowed first to the king, then to Elise. "My lady," she said, "if you would follow me, please."

Lady Elise bowed to King Uther and Prince Arthur before turning to leave. As she turned, Merlin was able to see her face. She was undoubtedly beautiful- her skin was flawless, and almost snow white; it was paler than even the Lady Morgana's complexion. Her light brown curls fell to the middle of her back, and framed her round face in such a way that made her eyes stand out. Her eyes were like no eyes Merlin had ever seen before; they were the palest blue, almost gray, and they sparkled with life, although there was something guarded in her expression.

"I want a feast prepared tonight in honor of our guest," the King commanded; several guards left the room to alert the cooks. "The rest of you may go."

"These will be your chambers, my lady," Gwen said as she opened the door to the guest chamber. "I hope they are to your liking."

"It's perfect," Lady Elise said as she walked about the room. She then unceremoniously flopped onto the bed and sighed. "How nice it will be to sleep on down bedding again."

"May I ask how long your journey was?" Gwen asked, busily running about the room and pulling back the long drapery from the windows.

"I'm not sure," Elise replied with a furrowed brow. "Let me check my diary…" She quickly went over to a small satchel that was placed on the table, the rest of her belongings sitting underneath it. She untied the string and pulled out a small, leather-bound book. She flipped through pages, reading what she had written at the top of each page. _Full moon…waxing moon…new moon… _She had recorded the phases of the moon to tell her how much time had passed since leaving her homeland.

"Two months," Lady Elise finally answered, having read the last page.

"Two months?" Gwen gasped.

Elise nodded. "Yes." She slipped the book back into her satchel. "You may go, Guinevere."

"My lady," she said as she bowed and walked out of the room.

Lady Elise stood next to the window which overlooked the courtyard. She sighed, remembering the times when she was a girl and she and her brother would chase each other around the courtyard in their castle.

Tears pricked at her eyes at the memory of her brother. She shook her head. "I mustn't cry now."

A knock at the door broke her thoughts and she went and opened it. Standing there was a boy. _No, not a boy_, she decided. _He's near my age, actually; not quite an adult, but too old to be considered a mere child. _She was surprised to discover him at her door.

"My lady," he said quickly, and bowed. Evidently, he was surprised, too. "The court physician, Gaius, would like to know if you are in need of any medicine after your journey."

She smiled at him. "I saw you in the throne room," she said to him, abruptly changing the subject. "What is your name?"

"Merlin," he replied. "I am Prince Arthur's servant."

She considered this and said, "Well, Merlin, please tell Gaius that I appreciate his concern but I do not need his services right now."

Merlin nodded. "My lady," he said, and bowed. He was about to walk away when she called him back.

"Merlin, I hope to see you at the feast tonight," she said, and she honestly meant it. There was something about him that ignited her curiosity.

"Yes, Lady Elise," he replied. And with that, he walked away, leaving Lady Elise to her thoughts.

**A/N: So I'm unsure at this point what kind of relationship will develop between Merlin and Elise. I would love your thoughts on this. Please review!**

**Oh, and where can I watch season one? I'm desperate!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Finally got the second chap done! **

**Special thanks to Cooper101 and DarkAngel 2112 for their reviews! Thank you!**

A few minutes after Merlin left Lady Elise, Gwen returned to her.

"Lady Morgana apologizes that she cannot welcome you in person," Gwen told her as she brought in a vase of freshly cut flowers. "She is unwell."

"I am truly sorry, too," Elise replied. "I would have liked to have met her. But I suppose I just have to wait." She smiled as she eyed the flowers. "Petunias?"

"Yes, my lady," Gwen replied. "A welcoming gift from the King."

"Uther is being too kind to me. I came unannounced to his home, and now feel as if I'm an annoyance," she sighed.

"Never!" Gwen said. "It was not your fault that your messenger was killed. And Uther is always gracious towards his guests, unannounced or otherwise."

"Thank you, Guinevere," Elise said.

Gwen smiled and began to busy herself with Elise's bags, but Elise stopped her. "I can do that later; I would like to have the chance to make sure my possessions haven't been damaged by the journey."

"Of course, Lady Elise," Gwen replied. "But may I at least hang up your garments?"

Elise looked down, ashamed. "I, regrettably, do not have any other clothes than what I am wearing. I was only able to bring a couple of my dresses with me, but I eventually had to sell them for food."

"I am so sorry!" Gwen immediately apologized.

Elise shook her head. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"Well, my lady, if you would like, I could ask Lady Morgana if she has anything she could lend to you," Gwen suggested.

"I would love that!" Elise said excitedly. "That is, if the Lady Morgana allows me to."

"I'll ask her now, if you would like," Gwen said.

"Yes, of course!" Elise replied.

"I'll be back soon," Gwen replied, and bowed to her before racing back to Morgana's chambers.

"My lady!" Gwen said as she reappeared in Morgana's chambers, slightly out of breath.

"Gwen, is everything okay?" Morgana asked her.

"Lady Elise wishes to borrow some of your clothes, since she has none of her own."

"None?" Morgana asked, stunned. She sat up straighter in her bed.

"None. She had to sell them on her journey," Gwen replied.

"Poor dear," Morgana replied. "Well, please pick out whatever dresses you think would look best on her. I hesitate to give my opinion since I haven't seen her yet."

"Thank you, Lady Morgana!" Gwen went over to the wardrobe and started analyzing the dresses in it.

"I'm afraid so. My stomach is still doing back flips," she sighed.

"Lady Elise is very sorry that she couldn't meet you today. I think you would like her. She reminds me of you," Gwen said.

"Then I am very sorry not to meet her, either."

"I think this is a good selection," Gwen said, studying the dresses you had draped over her arms. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Gwen. And please tell her she is welcome to borrow my clothes anytime."

"Yes, my lady." Gwen walked out of the room, carrying the dresses to Elise.

"Oh, Guinevere, they're gorgeous!" Elise said in awe when Gwen spread them out on the bed.

"Lady Morgana said you are welcome to her clothes anytime," Gwen said.

Elise held an emerald dress against herself and looked in the mirror. "Hmm…What do you think?"

"Very pretty," Gwen said. "But may I suggest a different dress?"

Elise nodded. "Please, do!"

Gwen walked over to the bed and picked up a sleeveless light blue dress. "This one would bring out the color of your eyes."

"I love it, Guinevere." Elise took it from her and held it in front of her, looking at her reflection. "This will be perfect for tonight."

"Please call me Gwen; everyone does," Gwen said.

"Okay, Gwen." Elise smiled. "I'll put it on now." She went and walked behind the dressing screen.

A knock sounded on the door, and Gwen answered it. "Oh, Merlin. Hi."

"Hi, Gwen. I've come to inform the Lady Elise that she will be escorted to the feast by Prince Arthur," Merlin said.

Gwen's spirits fell a little. "I will see that she gets the message."

Merlin knew that tone of voice. "Gwen, you know you're all Arthur thinks about. And this was Uther's idea!"

"It's still not easy," Gwen whispered, more to herself than Merlin.

Merlin gave her a sympathetic look and left. Gwen closed the door. "The Prince will be escorting you tonight," she said, walking back behind the screen to help Elise with the dress.

"Wonderful," Lady Elise replied. "Then I must look my best for tonight."

"Oh, yes," Gwen replied. "Do you want your hair pinned up or let it hang down?"

"Decisions, decisions," Elise said, sitting at the vanity. "I want your opinion."

"I think if it's up, it would complement your complexion," Gwen decided after a moment of thought.

"Then up it shall be," Elise replied, and Gwen got to work.

When she entered the hall on Arthur's arm, a wave of silence swept the room. Every head turned towards her, and she silently thanked Guinevere for all her hard work. Lady Elise looked stunning, and no one dared to disagree. She bowed to Uther before taking her seat next to him, in Morgana's place.

"Lady Elise, I have read and reread your father's letter, and my heart goes out to you and your kingdom," Uther said solemnly. "But there are some things your father has not fully explained."

Elise took a sip from her chalice. "It will be my honor to explain everything to you, my lord, but it will be easier if I start from the beginning."

Uther smiled. "By all means. But, if you do not mind, would you share your story with all of us gathered here?" He gestured to the entire banquet hall.

"She nodded. "I have no secrets."

Uther smiled and stood up, thus causing the hall to fall silent once more. "Friends, this feast tonight is in honor of Lady Elise of Silvergrove, a visitor from a stricken land. I think it is only right to allow her to share her story with the masses. My lady?" he asked, giving her the stage.

She stood up. "Thank you, King Uther. Before I start telling you about my hardships, I should tell you the humble beginnings of my homeland. It is a two-month journey south from there to Camelot. It is a small kingdom, so small you can barely call it that, which is why our leaders were always called 'lords' and not 'kings'. Silvergrove, as it is called, was built in the middle of a great forest, and throughout the years the forest has continued to thrive around us. The many trees cut us off from the rest of the world, and their tightly-knit branches even block out the sun's light." She smiled wryly. "I am not the only person to have this kind of complexion."

Her audience laughed, confirming that she had captivated them. "For many decades my family watched over the kingdom, seeing it grow in wealth and prosperity and peace." She paused before she said the next part of her speech, but she commanded herself, _Say it! It must be said._

"Then one day, magic came to our land."

Murmurs spread around the room like wildfire, and Uther looked stricken. "At the time, my grandfather was Lord of Silvergrove, and he negotiated with the sorcerers, who just wanted to live with their families in peace. So he allowed them to stay, and in peace they did live, until just about a year ago…" Her voice trailed off. She cleared her throat, separating the emotions from the memories. "My father had been ruler for some time, and like his father, allowed magic to remain in the land. But that year we had a bad harvest, and the winter was harsh. Lives, regrettably, were lost. The people, namely the ones who had magic, wanted my father to take action, to ask for help from another kingdom. Only my father understood how impossible that feat was, for only he understood how closed off we were from everyone else. He did nothing, and Silvergrove went from heaven to hell overnight. The sorcerers led an uprising, and my brother, Frederick, was one of the first to be killed. He was the King's only son. After that it was chaos." Elise shook her head. "My father ordered me to flee, but I refused- I wasn't going to leave him. Then one day while out riding an arrow flew by me, burrowing itself in a tree trunk not five inches from my heart. It was that incident that cased my father to put his foot down, and he decided to send me to a place far from Silvergrove. A place where magic would not be tolerated. A place where he knew I would be safe." She smiled, and picked up her chalice, raising it. "To Camelot!"

"To Camelot!" the banquet hall chorused, causing the walls to vibrate a little.

"My lady," Uther said as she sat down. "I am truly sorry for your plight. I, too, have lost a loved one to the dark arts."

"My king, I am so sorry. Magic is an evil that can only destroy. It must be destroyed itself."

"Hear, hear," Uther replied, and took a drink from his goblet.

A servant came over a moment later to refill his goblet, and Lady Elise glanced up. It was Merlin. She smiled at him, and he smiled back, but it did not reach his eyes. Some unknown emotion was lurking those blue orbs, and even after the feast had ended, and Gwen was escorting her back to her chambers, that look still haunted her.

Merlin didn't know what to think. Lady Elise had seemed so kind, so gentle, and yet she was just like Uther- determined to destroy magic. Merlin sighed as he retired to his room for the night. _I'll have my head on the chopping block if I'm not careful, _he thought as he lay in bed.

**A/N: Tell me your thoughts on Elise. I want your opinions, and what better way to give them than in a review? ;)**

**My life's a little busy right now, so I don't know when I might be able to update, but I'll try to update once a week. **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Enjoy!**

Merlin attempted to avoid Lady Elise as much as possible. He was courteous to her if they happened to cross paths, but with Lady Morgana's health returning, she and Elise kept to themselves. The friendship between the two of them was odd to Merlin, especially since Gwen no doubt had filled in Morgana of Elise's tale. If Elise were to discover that Morgana was a seer…An image flashed in Merlin's mind of Morgana's long, raven black hair draped over the chopping block. He shuddered, and shoved the image to the back of his mind.

As he was experimenting with a new spell on an apple core and Gaius was busying himself with sorting herbs, a light knock sounded on the door.

"Gaius?" a very familiar voice called, slowly opening the door.

Merlin slammed his spell book shut and hid it in a nearby niche in the wall.

"Do come in, Lady Elise," Gaius said, walking towards the girl and giving Merlin a harsh look over his shoulder. "What seems to be wrong?"

"I'm afraid that out riding today I happened upon a very disagreeable plant," she said as she lifted the sleeve of her dress and showed a patch of red, irritated skin.

"Oh, my," Gaius said. "So you did. If you'll have a seat, I will have that fixed up."

She smiled gratefully at Gaius and sat on one of the stools. It was then that she noticed Merlin standing in the corner. "Hello, Merlin."

"My lady," Merlin replied. "How are you enjoying Camelot?"

"It is very different from Silvergrove," Elise said. "A lot more crowded…A lot more noise."

"I'm sure Merlin can relate," Gaius said, now applying a poultice to her arm. "He grew up in a small village."

"Really?" Elise asked, interested. She turned her gaze on Merlin. "Which village?"

"Ealdor," he said, his voice softening a little.

She was about to say something when Gaius cut in. "All right, my dear. Leave that bandage on for the rest of the day, and I can guarantee that your arm will be better by morning."

"Thank you, Gaius," she said, making her way towards the door. She was halfway out the door when she turned her head back towards the room. "Bye, Merlin."

"Lady Elise," he replied, and she gave him a small smile before closing the door.

"She seems very pleasant, don't you think, Merlin?" Gaius asked as he started looking through one of his many books.

"For someone who hates magic," Merlin replied.

"You mustn't let that ruin your image of someone; magic is a very controversial thing."

"It still isn't right to execute people because of it," Merlin snapped, his eyes flashing gold and the apple core levitated in front of him.

"No, it's not. But she isn't like Uther; she has more heart than he does," Gaius said.

Merlin sighed. He didn't want to talk about Lady Elise. "I'm going to see if Arthur needs me." He hid the spell book in his room and was about to leave the room before Gaius caught him.

"Merlin, aren't you forgetting something?"

"What?"

Gaius gestured to the floating apple core.

"Oh."

Lady Elise had been in Camelot for several weeks now, and everyone seemed to be attracted to the young girl, whether it was because of her beauty, her charm, or her mysterious gaze from those gray eyes. Everyone except Merlin, that is. He saw her for what she really was- another ignorant noble determined to wipe out magic. Merlin avoided her like the plague, giving a polite nod of his head to her if they happened to pass each other. She didn't seem bothered by his avoidances, even if they seemed a bit extreme at times. (So he almost fell down a staircase when he quickly hopped out of her line of sight once. Big deal.)

As Merlin was preparing to muck out the stables at Arthur's request one day, he heard a strange noise coming from one of the stalls. It was a quiet, low sound, almost like someone was singing softly. He immediately remembered the false Lady Helen, but he shook his head at the ridiculous thought. He quietly crept up to the stall where the sound was coming from, armed with a pitchfork for protection, just in case. He carefully looked into the stall, making sure he was still hidden by the door, and was surprised at what he saw. Lady Elise was sitting on a hay bale, carefully braiding her horse's mane. Her horse, by the way, looked to be fast asleep, it's head hanging down almost to the floor, it's dark eyes closed. It was no doubt lulled to sleep by Elise's voice. Merlin stood transfixed for a moment, not sure if it was by the sight or by her voice, but when he tried to creep away, he accidentally caused the handle of the pitchfork to hit against the stall door.

Elise's head snapped up, as did her horse's. "Who's there?"

Merlin, his face slightly reddened by his humiliation at being caught, walked into the stall. "I'm sorry, my lady. I didn't mean-"

She looked relieved to see him. Strange. "It's fine, Merlin. You just startled me."

She went back to her braiding, and Merlin wasn't sure if he should stay or not. Lady Elise answered that question for him.

"You said you were from Ealdor?" she asked.

"Yes. I grew up there," he said.

"It's quite lovely," she said.

Merlin smiled despite himself. "It's nothing special. Just a few fields, a couple of cows."

"I thought it was quite special. I guess it was because of the fields. The trees grow so densely in Silvergrove that it's almost impossible for us to have fields."

"Then what to do you grow there?" Merlin asked.

"We rely on the trees, mostly, but we were able to make a few clearings for wheat and vegetables."

Merlin kept silent, unsure of what to say next. Even though he didn't want to be talking to Elise, he felt…relaxed with her.

"What's your horse's name?" He asked the first question that came into his mind.

"Lucy," Elise replied, stroking the horse's muzzle. Lucy was dappled gray, the white spots standing out from her darker coat, almost looking like stars. "She was a gift from my mother before she died."

"I'm sorry," Merlin said quickly, sensing the sudden discomfort of Elise.

She smiled sweetly at him. "It's okay." She was finished braiding Lucy's mane and she stood up. "I'll be going for a ride through the forest, if anyone should ask."

Merlin nodded. "Yes, my lady."

She led her horse out of the stall and put it's saddle on, accepting Merlin's help when he offered it.

"Thank you," she said, and she lightly clucked to her mount and she was suddenly out of sight, leaving Merlin to his chores.

What was to happen next would change both of their lives.

**A/N: Reviews are appreciated!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks to everyone for the lovely reviews! :) Here's a treat for everyone: I was able to write the next two chapters! You're welcome!  
**

Lady Elise was riding on a well-worn path through the woods, just beyond the castle. The tall trees surrounding her and the melodious birdsong reminded her of Silvergrove, and she sighed contently, patting Lucy's neck. Her mount seemed as relaxed as she was, so she let her guard down, letting her mind wander.

As they rounded a bend in the path, the trees around them began to creak. Lucy let out a nervous whiny, backing up a little, but Elise talked to her reassuringly. "It's okay, Luce; it's only a bit of wind." She urged her horse forward, and Lucy obeyed. After moving further down the path, the wind around them picked up, and Lucy tossed her head anxiously. Elise noticed that the birds had stopped singing, and her heart started beating rapidly. "Come on, Lucy. Let's get back to the castle." She turned her horse around, and started back towards Camelot, but not before a terrible cracking noise echoed through the forest. There was movement to Elise's left, and Lucy reared up, causing Elise to fall to the ground, and ran off. To the horror of Elise, a tree started to fall towards her, and she screamed.

"Merlin, clean my room. Merlin, shine my boots. Merlin, while riding today I lost my glove. Go search the woods for it," Merlin grumbled, searching the bushes for the Prince's precious belonging. How the hell did he lose something that was on his hand? But Merlin knew there was no use complaining; he would have to find the glove before returning to the castle, or face Arthur's wrath.

He stood up, brushing the prickles off of his arm before continuing down the path. As he walked, a harsh wind shook the trees around him. He shivered, continuing his walk. Then he heard a terrible cracking sound, and then a girl's scream. All thoughts of Arthur were gone as he ran towards the sound, hoping he wasn't too late. Finally he came upon the dreaded scene: a large tree had fallen across the path, and to his horror he saw that it had someone pinned underneath of it. He immediately ran over and gasped as he saw it was Lady Elise.

"Lady Elise?" he asked, falling to his knees next to her.

She slowly opened her eyes, and they widened in recognition. "Merlin, please help me," she begged. "It's on my legs."

Merlin may have hated Elise for her views on magic, but he would never have wished this on her. He tried to push the tree trunk off of her legs, which he feared might be broken, but it was too heavy.

"I can't. It's too heavy. Let me get help," Merlin said, but Elise grabbed him.

"It will be too late. _Please_." Her eyes were wide with terror before they slowly closed, her body becoming limp.

"Lady Elise!" Merlin said, gently shaking her shoulder, but she didn't respond. Merlin knew what he had to do. He stood up and extended his hand towards the tree. "_A__ferran_ _beam_."

The tree shifted off of her, freeing Elise. Merlin noticed that the ground around her left leg was stained red, and he saw through a tear in her dress that a large gash in her leg was bleeding profusely. He took off his neckerchief and carefully tied it around her leg, hoping the pressure would help stop the bleeding.

He carefully picked the unconscious girl up, cradling her carefully in his arms, and cursed himself for not having his horse. There was no way he could carry her all the way back to Camelot in this state. Then he heard a gentle neigh behind him, and he turned to see Lady Elise's horse. The horse eyed him warily, then bent down, almost like a bow.

"Thank god," Merlin whispered, and walked over to Lucy, carefully placing Elise on the horse's back, then mounting the horse himself, one hand on the reins and the other securing Elise to the saddle. Lucy swiftly raced the two of them back to the castle, all the while Elise's face turning paler. They finally thundered into the courtyard where guards immediately secured Lucy.

"Take her to Gaius!" Merlin said as he carefully passed Elise's body down to one of the guards. He dismounted and was planning on going to Gaius when he was suddenly blindsided by Uther.

"What happened?" he ordered, his face serious.

"A- A tree fell on her, sire," Merlin answered. "I was in the forest and heard her scream. I found her pinned underneath of it."

"And you rescued her alone?" Uther asked, hardly believing that this boy could have moved the tree by himself.

"Yes, sire," Merlin answered.

"Camelot thanks you," Uther replied, patting Merlin's shoulder. "You shall be rewarded for saving our guest."

"Thank you, sire," Merlin replied, and bowed hastily to him before running to the court physician's.

When he entered Gaius's chambers, he saw that Elise had been placed on the cot, Gaius attending to her wound.

"It was most fortunate of you to find her so quickly, Merlin," he said as the boy walked over to him. "She lost a lot of blood, but her legs aren't broken, remarkably."

Merlin pulled a stool over to sit next to Gaius, who was diligently cleaning the gash.

"Tell me what happened," Gaius instructed. "And don't leave anything out," he said with a knowing look. "She's still asleep."

Merlin recounted what had happened in the woods, not omitting the part about using his magic. "She was really scared, Gaius."

"I would think her a fool if she weren't," Gaius replied.

"But I think it was more than that," Merlin said. "I think she might have been attacked."

Gaius turned to look at his ward. "That's a very serious accusation, Merlin. What makes you say that?"

"The tree had been uprooted," Merlin said. "But it wasn't dead; it's leaves were as green as all the others."

"But who would want to harm Elise?"

"Maybe those sorcerers who were attacking Silvergrove," Merlin suggested, a slight edge to his voice.

"If that's true, then these sorcerers are no friends to you," Gaius said. "And the woods will need to be searched." Gaius finished bandaging Elise's leg. "I'm going to have a word with Uther." He didn't need to bother telling Merlin to keep an eye on Lady Elise; Merlin understood. Gaius left the room, and Merlin noticed how still the girl looked, and it was only by the slight rise and fall of her chest that he knew she was still alive.

He sighed. He had just saved his enemy from death.

**A/N: Review, please! ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Whoo! Two chaps in one night! **

Gaius returned to his chambers an hour later, bringing some dinner for Merlin and himself. "She's still not awake?"

Merlin shook his head, taking the bowl of soup from Gaius. "No. How were things with Uther?"

"He's sending men into the woods tonight, and anyone found will be subject to questioning, but I doubt they'll find anyone."

"So you don't think she was attacked?" Merlin asked.

"I'm not sure, but if she was, her attackers wouldn't have tarried." Gaius made a good point. "Now once you're finished eating, Arthur wants to see you."

Great. "Okay. I'll be back soon," Merlin promised as he gulped down the last of his soup and went off to see what His Royal Pratness needed.

"Ah, Merlin," Arthur said as he entered his chambers. "You were certainly the hero today, weren't you?"

"I guess, sire," Merlin replied.

"Don't be so modest!" Arthur said, clapping him on the back. "Moving an entire tree by yourself? I didn't think you had it in you."

"Neither did I," Merlin said. He couldn't quite make out the look in the Arthur's eyes, but it was suddenly replaced by a more familiar one. He mentally sighed.

"So, did you happen to find my glove?"

When Merlin returned to Gaius's room, slightly annoyed that he would be spending the next day searching for Arthur's glove, he quickly realized something was amiss.

"What's wrong with Elise?" he asked.

"She's become feverish," Gaius said, concern filling his voice as he placed a damp cloth on her forehead.

Merlin stood over her, sweat causing her face and neck to shine in the firelight. "Will she be okay?"

"Hopefully," Gaius replied.

Just then a knock sounded on the door. "King Uther wishes to speak to you," a soldier informed Gaius.

He sighed. "Watch over her, Merlin."

Merlin nodded, taking a seat next to Elise's bed. He took the compress off of her forehead and dampened it more in a bucket of water. When he placed it back on her forehead, her eyes shot open.

"My lady?" Merlin asked cautiously.

Her eyes darted around the room frantically, terror in her gray eyes. Her breathing sped up.

"Lady Elise, you're okay. You're in Gaius's chambers," Merlin informed her, not sure of what to do exactly.

When her eyes landed on Merlin's face, some of the terror faded away. "Mer-Merlin? What happened?"

"You had an accident while riding."

"Is Lucy okay?" she asked worriedly.

"She's in the stables. She's safe."

Elise let out a sigh of relief, and Merlin could tell that horse meant everything to her. Then she started shaking, her eyes closing again, and Merlin knew the fever had overtaken her.

When Gaius returned, Merlin told him that Elise had woken up and had talked to him.

"She'll be fine after tonight," Gaius said, checking her pulse. "Although I don't want her on that leg until it's almost fully healed. Can't risk it bleeding again."

"So she'll have to stay here?" Merlin asked, the idea of her being in Gaius's apartment for any length of time annoying. This room was the only place where it was safe for him to do magic.

"She can return to her chambers tomorrow," Gaius said. "She'll just be put on the stretcher."

Merlin nodded. "What did Uther want?"

Gaius sighed. "They're still searching the woods, but they haven't found anyone. And the tree that fell on her? Well, it's been dead for sometime."

Merlin shook his head. "That's impossible."

"That's what the King's men reported," Gaius told him. "Luckily, Uther already thinks you have a mental affliction, and that coupled with you trying to save Elise had you mistaken."

Merlin ran his hands through his hair. "I know what I saw."

"Get some rest, Merlin," Gaius said. "I'll watch over her for the rest of the night."

Merlin went into his room and laid on his bed. _I know what I saw, _he thought. _She was attacked. I know it._

An annoying little voice asked him, _Why are you so concerned with whether Lady Elise was attacked or not? _

_Any threat to her is a threat to Camelot, to Arthur, _Merlin replied. Merlin shook his head. _Why am I having conversations with voices in my head? Maybe I do have a mental affliction…_

**A/N: Poor Merlin. I've had nights like that, too. Review, please!**_  
_


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: So I realize my chapters are getting shorter, and I'm sorry. The more crucial chapters will be a bit more lengthy...**

When Lady Elise opened her eyes the next morning, her memory was fuzzy. She looked around the room she was in and realized she was in Gaius's chambers, but she couldn't quite recall why. When she attempted to sit up the sudden shot of pain in her leg not only triggered the memory of her terrifying encounter from the day before, but a cry of pain escaped her.

"My lady, please don't try to move," Gaius instructed, quickly coming to her side now that she was awake. "Your leg is badly injured." He held a small cup to her. "Drink this- it'll help with the pain," he said.

She took it from him and drank it all, smiling gratefully at him. "Thank you, Gaius."

He nodded. "Now, I think you can return to your chambers, but I do _not_ want you using that leg."

"So I'll have to stay in bed?" she asked.

"Yes. Just for a few weeks, though. A month at the most."

She closed her eyes, laying her head back on the pillow. A month without seeing her Lucy?

"I'll have Merlin fetch some guards to help carry you to your room," Gaius suggested, gesturing to the stretcher propped against the wall. "I'm sure you would be more comfortable in your own bed."

"Thank you. I would appreciate that."

Gaius smiled and opened the door to Merlin's room, telling him to get out of bed and make himself useful. Elise stifled her laughter. When Gaius left Merlin to get himself together, he checked Elise's pulse and then began checking her wound, a slightly painful process.

"I'm sorry, my dear, I know this hurts," he said apologetically. "But this has to be cleaned every day to ensure that it does not get infected."

"I understand," Elise replied, tears pricking at her eyes. She had her face turned towards the wall, not wanting to see the condition of her leg.

"At least your legs weren't broken when the tree fell on you. It's a miracle that they're fine," Gaius pointed out.

"Yes. A miracle," Elise murmured in reply.

Just then Merlin walked out of his room, and he immediately gave Elise a bow. "My lady."

"Hello, Merlin," she replied.

"I'll just go get some guards…?" Merlin told Gaius, more of a question than a statement.

"Yes. I believe that two will be fine," the physician said.

Merlin nodded and ran out of the room, returning a few minutes later with two of the castle guards.

"All right, Elise, we just need to get you on the stretcher without disturbing your leg," Gaius said, and Elise sighed. She knew this wasn't going to be fun.

The two guards held the stretcher parallel to the cot, and with the help of Merlin and Gaius, was able to get settled onto the stretcher.

"If you need more medicine for the pain, just send someone. I have plenty," Gaius told her as the guards carted her out of the room.

"Thank you," she replied, and then she was on her way back to her chambers.

"My lady, you've had us worried!" Gwen told her, bustling about the room.

Elise had been tucked into her bed, a soft pillow supporting her injured leg. "I'm sorry for all the concern I raised. That was not my intention. I just wanted to go for a quiet ride through the woods!" Elise laughed quietly.

Gwen smiled at her, drawing back the curtain of one of the windows. "Well, the next time you do, you'll have all the knights escorting you!"

"Oh, joy," Elise said, just a touch of sarcasm marring her tone.

Gwen went to her side. "Is there anything else that you need? I'm on my way down to get your breakfast."

"Breakfast sounds lovely," Elise replied, and Gwen bowed to her before leaving the room.

Elise sighed and let her mind wander to the events of the past day. She knew that something wasn't right, and that scared her. Her father had promised her she would be safe in Camelot, but now she doubted that. How could Uther's men protect her from such a force?

After doing the chores Arthur had assigned him, Merlin went out into the woods to look at the tree. He needed to see that it was dead for himself. It didn't take long for him to find the scene of the accident, and to his disbelief, it was indeed dead; the bark was peeling from it, and the few remaining leaves on the branches were brown and withered.

"Impossible," Merlin muttered, kneeling down to examine the tree. "This can't be." He placed his hand on the tree, getting ready to stand up, when he felt his magic flare. He gasped, and took several steps backward, eyeing the tree warily. He approached the tree, looking around to make sure he was alone. He was. He touched the tree again and realized that the tree had been influenced by magic- powerful, dark magic.

He immediately mounted his horse and headed back to Camelot to tell Gaius of his discovery.

"Uther's doubled the guards at every post," Gaius informed him. "The Lady Elise will be safe from harm."

"But what about Camelot?" Merlin asked. "What if the attack on Elise was a warning?"

"I don't know," Gaius said, shaking his head. "There's not enough evidence to explain what's going on. But do be careful, Merlin," Gaius warned him. "Uther's after a sorcerer, and if you're discovered to have magic, you'll be accused of attacking Elise."

"I'm always careful!" Merlin objected, but the dubious look on Gaius's face made him shut up. "I'll be careful."

"Good. Now since you're done with your chores for Arthur, you can help me by cleaning my leech tank."

**A/N: Please review! Reviews make my world go round! **

**Well, reviews and the adorable cuteness of Colin Morgan, that is. ;) **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I'm not sure when I'll be able to update because I have some assignments for school to finish, but I'll try to get at least one chapter out a week. **

As night descended on Camelot every evening, Elise became anxious. She jumped at every noise, every little movement in her room. Gwen expressed her concern to Gaius.

"Ever since she was hurt, she's been like this. She's not her normal self."

"Hmm," Gaius replied. "Is she sleeping all right?"

Gwen nodded. "She sleeps soundly, when she finally calms down enough, that is."

"Perhaps a mild sedative would help her," Gaius said thoughtfully. He looked through his cabinets and pulled out a small vial. "Give this to her before you leave her tonight. It will relax her."

"Thank you, Gaius." Gwen took the vial from him. "I was just worried, since Morgana has those terrible nightmares…"

"No need to explain, Gwen," Gaius said, smiling. "You have a very caring heart."

"Thank you," she replied. "Well, I best tend to Lady Elise." She left the room, and Gaius frowned. Sometimes after a traumatic experience a person would become out of sorts in response, but he didn't think this was Elise's problem. Something had her on edge, and with Merlin's recent discoveries, he needed to find out what was going on with the lady in gray.

Gwen knocked softly on Elise's door. "My lady?"

When no one answered, she became a little worried, but then she heard Elise's voice say, "Come in."

Gwen entered and smiled at her. "My lady, Gaius has recommended this to help you calm down."

"He is very kind," Elise replied from her bed. Even from a distance she could see the dark circles underneath of Elise's eyes.

Gwen nodded and handed the vial to her. "It's a sedative."

"I will have to thank him tomorrow," she said, and placed the vial on the stand next to her. "I'll take it before I go to sleep," she said quickly.

Gwen tucked the covers around Elise. "I'm sure it will help."

"Yes," Elise replied, a little absentmindedly. "Well, thank you, Gwen. Good night."

"Good night, my lady," Gwen responded, and blew out the candles in the room, except for the one next to Elise. She bowed before leaving the room.

Elise looked doubtfully at the vial. She didn't need a sedative; she needed to be aware of what was going on around her. She needed to be prepared for whatever would happen in the future, and that wouldn't happen if she was asleep. She didn't want to waste Gaius's medicine, however.

She took the vial and carefully wrapped it in a piece of cloth, putting it in the drawer next to her. Perhaps she would take it one night. If not, she could always slip it back to Gaius once her leg was healed, which wasn't anytime soon, unfortunately.

She began to sing softly to herself, the same lullaby she sang to her precious Lucy, the same one her mother sang to her when she was a child, before her mother passed away.

Her eyes began to close, and her voice faded away as she let sleep overtake her.

_Fire…_

_Shadows moving in darkened corners…_

_People screaming…_

_A body draped over a bed, the gray eyes staring blankly at the person leaning over her…_

Morgana woke up, her scream alerting Guinevere to another nightmare. She ran into the room and immediately went to her friend's side.

"It was so terrible, Gwen," she sobbed, Gwen holding her. "I saw-" Another sob shook her body.

"It was just a dream," Gwen told her, her voice soothing. "It isn't real."

_Not yet,_ Morgana thought. _It isn't real yet._

"Perhaps you should speak to Gaius in the morning," Gwen suggested.

Morgana nodded. Gaius would listen to her. She knew he wouldn't just dismiss her nightmares as a fantasy.

"Gaius," Morgana said as he entered his chambers in the morning. "We must talk."

"What is this about, my lady?" he asked.

"I had another nightmare."

Gaius looked up at her, setting the vials and bandages down on his table. "Please sit down."

Morgana sat on one of the stools as Gaius called for Merlin. "I want you to tend to the Lady Elise this morning."

"But why-" Merlin stopped as he saw Morgana sitting in the room. He immediately knew why. "Okay." He picked up the supplies, and with a hasty bow to Morgana, he left.

Tending to Lady Elise's wound was not on his list of things he wanted to do. He would rather muck out the stables than have to be with her.

"Lady Elise?" he asked cautiously as he opened her chamber door.

"Yes?" her voice answered.

He entered the room, and he could tell she was surprised to see him. "Merlin!"

"My lady," he said, and bowed. "Um…Gaius told me to check on you today…"

Her eyes widened with understanding. "Okay. Where is Gaius?"

"He's with a patient," Merlin replied, walking over to Elise's side.

"Is it Morgana?" she asked, and Merlin almost dropped the vials on the floor.

"What makes you ask that?" he asked as he folded back the bottom of her dress just enough to uncover the bandage.

"I heard her scream last night. Guinevere mentioned in passing that she had nightmares."

Merlin nodded. "It is her."

"Is she okay?" Her voice held genuine concern.

"Just a bit shaken, probably," Merlin replied, keeping his answers short. As he removed the bandage he let out a small gasp.

"What's wrong?" Elise asked, her voice panicked.

"Oh, um, it's nothing, my lady… It's just that your wound seems to be almost completely healed." He chanced a look at her, and he saw that her face had blanched.

"It must be Gaius's medicine," she said. "He's a true miracle worker."

"Yes," Merlin automatically agreed, but he knew something was going on. The wound should've taken another two weeks to be in this condition. As he bandaged up her leg, his distrust of the lady grew.

"I suppose I should say thank you," Elise said as he was leaving.

"You should be thanking Gaius," Merlin told her.

"I wasn't talking about that, Merlin." Her eyes were locked on him. "I remember that it was you who saved me."

Merlin paled a little. How much did she remember? He was sure that she had passed out before he used his magic.

"It was very noble of you. I owe you my life."

"It was nothing," he replied quickly, wanting to escape.

"Well, thank you," she said and smiled. "And do thank Gaius for the sedative he gave me last night. It did indeed help me."

"Yes, my lady." Merlin hurriedly bowed and rushed out of the room.

**A/N: Thoughts on Elise? Thoughts on Morgana's dream? Reviews keep me writing! ;)**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** **Sorry it took me so long to update. I had trouble writing this chap. But here it is! Enjoy!**

The sudden look of distrust in Merlin's eyes made Elise panic. As she stared at the door which the servant just walked out of, she knew that she would have to be extra careful as she remained in Camelot. She curled up on her side, clutching a pillow to her chest. She didn't know how much longer she would be welcome in Camelot.

"Gaius, her wound was almost entirely healed," Merlin told the physician.

Gaius sat down at his work bench. "I had noticed her wound was healing rather quickly; that's why I wanted you to tend to her."

"So that I could confirm it," Merlin guessed.

Gaius nodded. "Elise is hiding something. What exactly it is, I'm not sure. But I want you to be very careful around her, Merlin," he told the young boy, his voice grave.

"I will."

With Gaius' consent and the help of Guinevere, Lady Elise was able to start walking again. Naturally she headed for the stable, desperate to see her Lucy. Gwen watched silently from the stall door as Elise tenderly stroked her horse's muzzle, the gray horse standing totally at ease. Gwen appreciated how poetic this moment was, how these two had such a strong bond. They were strangers in a strange land, away from loved ones.

Elise suddenly leaned in to Lucy and whispered something in the horse's ear, and the horse shook its head and neighed discontentedly, much to Elise's delight. She gave Lucy a quick kiss before turning to Gwen. "I'm ready to go back to my room."

Guinevere linked arms with Elise, acting as her crutch as they slowly made their way back into the castle. Elise had a slight limp, but she still held herself with all the heir of a noble.

"May I ask what you told Lucy?" Gwen asked.

Elise smiled. "I told her that if I didn't ride her soon she would start getting fat."

She and Gwen were giggling when they almost ran into Arthur.

"Hello Elise, Guinevere," he greeted.

"My lord," Gwen replied, her eyes downcast.

"Hello, Arthur," Elise said. She noticed that Merlin wasn't anywhere to be seen, which was fine with her.

"I'm glad to see that you're well," Arthur noted.

"Ah, yes, I have Gaius to thank for that. Camelot is truly blessed to have him," Elise said, and she saw that Gwen was still studying the floor, as if she was trying not to meet Arthur's eyes.

Arthur nodded, and then cleared his throat. "Well, I should best leave you two to…whatever it is girls do," he said, and he walked away with his brow slightly furrowed, but not before stealing a glance at Guinevere. Elise had to bite her lip to keep her gasp of realization quiet. As she and Gwen continued their walk, she wanted nothing more than to ask how long the two had been in love, but she knew it wasn't her business.

They did make a cute couple, though.

Merlin wasn't quite sure how he got roped into gathering mushrooms in the forest, but as the sunlight was fading, he decided he had gathered enough. He started walking back to the castle, basket in his arms, when he heard someone…chanting? His instincts screamed at him to leave, but when did he ever listen to them?

He crept towards where the voice was coming from, and he came upon a small area where the trees grew in a small circle. There was a cloaked figure standing with its back turned to him, and with sudden dread he realized that the person was _incanting_. The leaves around the figure swirled harmlessly around it, and suddenly a light, twinkling laugh filled the woods. Merlin gasped as he suddenly recognized the voice, and as he tried to back away quietly, he tripped over a hidden root. He let out a yelp of surprise, and the figure sharply turned in his direction. Merlin tried to get up off the ground, but the figure quickly muttered a spell which left Merlin immobile.

_I'm going to die. I can't believe I'm going to die,_ he thought helplessly.

As the figure approached him, he heard a quiet, "No. Not you." The figure lowered the cloak's hood, and even in the dim light Merlin could see the distress in her gray eyes. "Merlin, why were you here?"

Merlin knew she wasn't asking about his being in the forest; the spilled mushrooms answered that. "I was- I heard a voice, and I didn't…I didn't mean to spy on you," he stuttered.

Elise turned her face away from him, her hair shielding her face. She muttered another spell, and Merlin found he could move again. He slowly got up, not knowing whether to run or to stay.

"You're going to tell Uther, aren't you," she said, more statement than question. She walked a few feet away, where he noticed Lucy had blended into the background. Elise ran her fingers through the horse's mane.

Merlin knew he couldn't condemn her. As far as he knew, she was harmlessly practicing magic. God, that fact made his mind spin, but he wouldn't hand her over to the executioner.

"No," Merlin told her, and Elise looked at him with surprise. "I won't tell anyone."

"But you're the _prince's _manservant," she said. "How can you not tell? What am I to you?"

"I don't think there's anything wrong with practicing magic," Merlin told her honestly.

Elise walked over to him. "Thank you, Merlin." She glanced down at the spilled mushrooms, and her eyes flashed gold. The mushrooms were now returned to the basket, and she picked it up and handed it to Merlin.

"Uh, thanks," he said, taking it from her.

She smiled at him. "I think we should get back to the castle before the guards are sent looking for us."

"Looking for you is more likely," Merlin corrected her.

She frowned. "Wouldn't Arthur want to know if his servant is safe?" She mounted Lucy, looking curiously at Merlin.

"Not really. He would guess that an animal had eaten me and that he was now free to get a decent manservant." Merlin walked beside Elise's horse, feeling strangely comfortable. He had just discovered that she could do magic, and instead of staying as far away from her as possible, he felt…comfortable. How long this feeling would last was the real question.

Elise laughed, a sound which filled the night air wonderfully. "Arthur does seem to take great joy in tormenting you."

"He's a prat," Merlin replied, and Elise giggled.

When they entered the courtyard, Merlin helped Elise down from her horse, and Elise bid him good-night. "And thank you." Her eyes were filled with sincerity.

Merlin nodded, and, remembering his place, gave her a quick bow. "Good night, my lady." He quickly ran off to drop off his bundle of mushrooms to the kitchen staff, question after question bombarding his mind. An idea suddenly struck him. He knew someone who could answer his questions.

The Great Dragon.

**A/N: To everyone who thought Elise had magic- Congrats! You win a virtual cookie! :D**

**I'll have the next chapter up sometime next week. **

**Please review!  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Sorry about the wait. I'm afraid that with school starting I won't be able to update that often. But your reviews encourage me to!**

Merlin grabbed a torch and made his way down to the cave where the Dragon dwelled.

"Ah, young warlock, what is it you need this time?" the Great Dragon asked, sitting in front of Merlin.

"What do you know about the Lady Elise?"

"The Lady Elise is not all she appears to be," the Dragon said.

"I know that. She's a witch. Is she a threat to Camelot?" Merlin asked, a bit impatiently.

"She herself is not a threat. What is chasing her, however, is."

Merlin's brow furrowed. "The sorcerers that were attacking Silvergrove?"

The Dragon gave a harsh laugh. "If Elise lied about having magic, do you not think it possible for her to have lied about her plight?"

Merlin let this sink in for a moment. Elise was a witch. If sorcerers had been rebelling against her father, couldn't she have done something?

"You must gain her trust, Merlin. The only way you will be able to fulfill your destiny is if the Lady Elise tells you the truth."

"How will I get her to trust me?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

The Dragon gave him a knowing look. "You will discover the answer to that yourself." Then he suddenly stood and began to fly up towards the top of the cave.

Merlin sighed. The only way to get Elise to tell him is if he revealed that he himself had magic. He desperately hoped he could think of a different way.

Merlin began to avoid Elise more and more. It had been a week since he had discovered Elise practicing magic, and he still was in shock, and mistrusted her even more. He was wracking his brain for an idea that would let Elise tell him what was actually after her, and a truth serum was the only thing he could think of. Well, that and saying, "Oh, I was born with magic, so now can you tell me what's actually going on?"

He didn't like the latter.

As he was trying to remember if he even saw a spell or potion for truth-telling, he heard the familiar, feminine laughs of Morgana and Elise quickly approaching. Not in the mood to encounter them, and desperately needing to polish Arthur's armor before the prince put him in the stocks again, he attempted to hide by the staircase until they passed. Alas, the staircase had other intentions, and in his haste Merlin somehow managed to trip and fall down the flight of stairs, Arthur's precious armor creating quite the racket.

"Merlin!" a frightened voice gasped, and he recognized it as Guinevere's. Merlin was lying on his back, every part of his body screaming in agony. He heard rushed footsteps and suddenly a frantic Gwen was kneeling beside him. "Merlin, are you okay?"

Merlin groaned in response, opening his eyes. There was Gwen, and standing on either side of him was Morgana and Elise. Oh, great.

"You took quite a tumble," Morgana said, and her tone sounded almost impressed. "Anything broken?"

Merlin took a quick mental assessment and decided that he had no extreme injuries. "I don't think so…But my head is throbbing," he groaned.

"He needs to be taken to Gaius," Gwen said.

"Quite right. Gwen, would you please gather up this armor so no one else falls," Morgana asked.

Gwen nodded. "Yes, my lady." She gave Merlin one last concerned look before doing her task.

"Can you stand?" Elise asked, and Merlin realized he hadn't even tried to sit up.

He tried to push himself up, but his entire body ached in protest. He sighed, and shook his head. "I think I'll need a stretcher."

"Nonsense! Elise and I can manage you," Morgana replied. "Come on- you get that arm and I'll get this one."

Both of the girls placed one of his arms around each of their shoulders.

"Count of three, okay? One, two, three!" And Merlin was suddenly standing, both of the girls smiling proudly at their work. The sudden movement, however, had caused Merlin's head to start spinning, and he stumbled a bit.

"Looks like we'll have to take him to Gaius ourselves," Elise said.

"Gwen, just take that back to Arthur's room," Morgana instructed her maid. "Now, Merlin, the quicker we get we get you to Gaius-"

"The quicker Arthur will kill me," he finished. _Perhaps Gwen can get him calmed down._

Morgana and Elise shared an amused look.

Merlin hated himself for his stupidity. He had tried to avoid Elise, but it just led to himself being humiliated and in pain. When they finally entered Gaius' room, the physician looked up, surprised.

"Merlin, what on earth happened?"

"I…tripped," he replied, the girls setting him down on a stool.

"Down an entire flight of stairs," Morgana added with a smirk. How could she find this amusing?

Elise smiled. "Perhaps this might have knocked some sense into you," she said, and Merlin didn't like the look in her eyes, like she knew that he had been avoiding her.

"I don't think it was sense that was knocked into me." Merlin winced as Gaius applied a salve to a rather large bump on Merlin's forehead.

"Well, we'll leave you to get better," Elise said, pausing at the door to wait for Morgana.

"And to Arthur's wrath. I do hope he goes easy on you." Her green eyes were sincere.

"Thanks," Merlin said.

The girls smiled and left, and moments later Arthur barged in, shouting at his incompetent manservant and Gaius said that Merlin would be fine for stock-duty when he was sure there was no serious damage, which pleased Arthur.

"And I still expect my armor to be polished by the end of today," he said as he left.

Merlin's life was turning into hell.

**A/N: Not a lot happened in this chapter, I know. I had the idea of Merlin falling down the stairs, and I kinda ran with it. :)**

**Whether good or bad, I appreciate your reviews!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I am so proud of myself for finding the time to write this chapter. Now if only I could repeat the process for my other stories...**

"My lady, the king has just summoned you," Guinevere said, entering Elise's room.

"Why?" Elise asked, putting aside the book she was reading.

"There is a messenger here. He says he is from Silvergrove."

Elise quickly got up from her chair and followed Gwen to the throne room. Standing before King Uther was a very familiar face.

"Lady Elise," the messenger said, turning to her and bowing deeply. He was a tall man, with dark, shoulder-length hair, and bright green eyes.

"Sir Edmund, it is a pleasure to see you," she replied with a smile.

"My lady, I'm afraid I am the bearer of bad news," he started unsurely. "It is with my deepest regret that I tell you that your father, Lord Byron, is dead."

Elise swayed on the spot, and Gwen quickly rushed to her side, but she did not collapse. "What happened?" she asked.

"The castle was infiltrated. I alone was able to escape, at your father's request. He wrote this and asked me to give it to you." He removed a letter from his jacket, and with a trembling hand Elise took it.

"Thank you, Edmund. If the king allows it, I would appreciate your staying here in Camelot." She looked at Uther, her gaze imploring.

"Of course you may, Sir Edmund. It would be an honor." He instructed one of the servants to show him to a spare room.

"Thank you, sire," Edmund said, and bowed. "My lady," he said, bowing to Elise before leaving the room.

Elise stared at the letter in her hand, seeing her name scrawled across the front in her father's handwriting. She clutched it to her heart, and asked Gwen to escort her back to her room. The servant immediately accepted, since Elise's face had paled quite considerably.

_My dearest Elise,_

_As I write this, the enemy is making its way through the castle. Many brave and loyal men I have lost to this darkness, and I will shortly be joining them. I know you were upset at me for making you leave your home, but believe me when I say it was my love for you that led to that decision, though my heart has ached every day since you departed._

_Sir Edmund is to deliver this letter to you. I know how much he meant to you and Frederick, so I will spare him from dying for this hopeless cause. Neither he nor you are to return to Silvergrove. There is nothing here for you but pain, and you would not recognize it; the trees have been dying, the once beautiful symbol of this land now destroyed. To return here means almost certain death, even with your magnificent gift._

_I must say farewell, my beautiful daughter. I will be joining your brother and mother soon. I will always love you._

Elise kept re-reading the last line, tears falling down her face. Her family was now gone. She and Edmund were what remained of Silvergrove. She couldn't believe it.

She heard a knock on her door, and Gwen hurried over to answer it.

"I was hoping I might speak to Lady Elise?" Sir Edmund's baritone voice sounded from the doorway.

Guinevere turned to Elise, waiting for her answer.

"Of course, Edmund. Gwen, you may leave," Elise said, and Gwen bowed to her before leaving.

"Sir Edmund of Silvergrove," Elise mused, an amused smile on her face.

"Lady Elise," Edmund said respectfully.

She groaned in annoyance. "I have known you since before I could walk! You needn't keep to formalities." And with that she rushed forward and hugged Edmund, who was like a brother to her.

He hugged her back. "Elise, I am so sorry. I wanted to die protecting your father-"

"But he wouldn't let you. He said so in his letter," she explained.

"What else did he say in his letter?" Edmund asked as she began to light some candles in the room.

"That we are not to return home. Is it true the trees are dead?"

"I'm afraid so." Edmund was staring into the fire, the light flashing off the silver tree on his tunic.

"I guess we must stay in Camelot," Elise sighed. "It's nothing like Silvergrove, but everyone's been so kind…"

"Does anyone know about your…" He trailed off, not wanting to be overheard, and did some weird hand motions instead.

Elise laughed, a sound that made Edmund smile. "One person found out, but he won't tell."

"How can you be so sure?" he asked suspiciously.

"Because I've heard only the best things about him," Elise said matter-of-factly. "I can trust him."

Edmund still looked doubtful, and Elise smiled encouragingly at him. "Edmund, not everyone believes magic is evil. You should know that," she said, her voice slightly scolding.

He sighed. "I know. I know."

Elise took his hands in hers. "And it's not like you'd let anyone hurt me."

Edmund smiled at that. "True."

"Good. Now let's talk about something that isn't as dreary," Elise said. She moved to sit down at the table, and Edmund quickly pulled the chair at for her.

When she looked up at him to thank him, her blood ran cold. The light from the candles around the room cast shadows everywhere, and Edmund was standing directly in front of a candle.

But he had no shadow.

"No," she whispered, slowly backing away from him.

Edmund's once green eyes were now almost black. "Elise, did you really think that you could escape from us?" His voice was slightly distorted by echoing whispers. He moved towards her...

"Hello, Merlin," Gwen greeted him as she was walking from Elise's chambers. "You're looking better."

"Thanks, Gwen," the warlock replied, trying to hide the red bump on his head with his hair. Luckily the swelling had gone down quite a bit. "Did you find it as entertaining as Morgana?"

Gwen smiled, embarrassed. "I did find it a little funny, not that I wasn't concerned for your well-being because you did take a nasty fall, but only you could-"

"Could fall down the stairs?" he finished her rant.

"Yes," she replied, smiling.

Merlin sighed. "Yeah, that could only happen to me."

Gwen laughed, but the mood quickly darkened when a piercing scream came from down the corridor.

"Elise!" Guinevere gasped, and Merlin ran after her as they made their way to Elise's room. Gwen flung open the door, and there was Elise, standing over the now unconscious body of Edmund, an andiron in her hand.

"He attacked me," she whispered hoarsely, and Gwen rushed to her side as Elise dropped her weapon and began sobbing on Gwen's shoulder. Gwen held her, and gave Merlin a look that said, _Go get help._

He took one last look at the scene before going to alert the guards that they had a new prisoner.

**A/N: So what did you think? Leave a review and let me know! :D**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: So I know this chapter is a bit short, but I was dying to update this story! **

**And who saw the season premiere of Merlin? I was completely blown away! :D**

"Your Highness," Lady Elise said, standing before Uther. "I would like an audience with the prisoner, if it is not against your wishes," she added politely.

"Your attacker? Why would you need to talk to him?" Uther asked.

"To clear up some…misunderstandings," she said, her gray eyes refusing to give up what she really needed to discuss with her friend.

Uther sighed and nodded his consent. "Bring the prisoner," he instructed two of the guards by the large doors in the throne room.

"Thank you, sire," Elise said. "And would it be permitted for me to talk to him privately?" She braced herself for Uther's answer, knowing what an odd request this was.

"Alone? But he attacked you, my lady. Surely-"

"As long as he is in chains, my lord, I will be safe," Elise said decisively. Her gray eyes dared the king to challenge her wishes once more.

"So be it," he sighed heavily. "But there will be guards positioned outside."

"Of course," Elise said, and bowed deeply. "I thank you."

When Edmund had been brought into the throne room, King Uther and his advisors left the room. However, the two guards, who were each standing on one side of Edmund, hesitated in leaving the lady alone with such a dangerous man.

"Give me your sword," she instructed one of the guards.

He shared a surprised look with the other, but acquiesced to her request. Elise demonstrated that she did indeed have skill with a blade, twirling the sword with a practiced hand. She then dismissed the guards, who were a little more assured, and a little wary, of Lady Elise.

Once the doors were closed, she looked down at Edmund, who was kneeling before her, head bowed, but she saw his green eyes focused on the sword blade. She scoffed and carelessly cast aside the weapon, and knelt down on Edmund's level. "You know I would never hurt you," she whispered.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did," he replied sadly. "You should want me dead."

"Never!" she said fiercely. "Why do you think I won't permit Uther to execute you for treason?"

He lifted his eyes to meet hers. "I won't be executed?"

Elise shook her head. "You may be in Camelot, but I am still your ruler. I have the final say."

"You were always too kind, Elise." A tear ran down his face, and Elise quickly wiped it away, and then threw her arms around him.

"You mustn't blame yourself for becoming possessed," Elise told him.

"But if I hadn't come here, you would still be safe. I brought them with me."

"You're wrong," Elise said, looking into his face. "They followed _me_."

"How are you so sure?" Edmund asked.

"Several weeks ago, I was attacked by them in the forest. A tree fell on me and had me trapped beneath its weight; I was at their mercy." She shifted her weight to favor the one had gotten badly injured, the memory causing it to ache.

"But your magic…" Edmund whispered, his eyes full of distress at how close he had come to losing his only friend.

"I used it to cushion the blow of the tree, so that my legs were not broken. But I was too weak to cast any spells to protect myself. If Merlin hadn't found me…" She didn't dare say what might have happened.

"Merlin," Edmund said, brow furrowed. "Did he know about you then?"

Elise shook her head. "But he had his suspicions."

"For him being a manservant, he seems to play a great role in the scheme of things," Edmund mused.

"I've noticed that, too," Elise said, her thoughts far away. She wasn't pulled back to the present until one of the great doors creaked open.

"My lady?" a guard asked hesitantly, his head peeking around the corner.

"One more minute, if you please," she said, straightening up.

The guard nodded and closed the door.

"Well, it seems our time is over. I'll try to come see you at night," Elise said, hauling Edmund to his feet.

"I would like that," he admitted, his eyes hidden behind a mass of hair.

Elise brushed the unruly hair away and cupped his face in her hands. "I'm sorry you're not able to enjoy Camelot's hospitality."

He shrugged his great shoulders. "I think keeping my head is hospitality enough."

"Indeed." Elise gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before the guards entered. "I promise to look after you. Nothing will hurt you."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," he advised. Upon seeing the guards, he bowed and added, "My lady."

**A/N: ****Next chapter will have lots of Merlin! (I know there was a drastic shortage of him in this chap.)  
**

**And I'd like to thank Cooper101 and ruby890 for their dedicated reviewing! 3 **


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Yes, my dear readers, I have updated! Enjoy!**

Merlin was quite pleased with himself. He had been walking back to Gaius' chambers, having finished his chores for Arthur, when he overheard two maids discussing that the Lady Elise had requested a private audience with her attacker.

"What a scandal!" one of the maids said.

Merlin, curiosity burning in his mind, was able to sneak into the throne room from a side door. (Few knew this door existed, for it was a safeguard for the king in case he needed to escape.) Merlin hid behind a column, and could just pick up Elise's soft words to Sir Edmund. A jolt of panic went through Merlin when he heard her use the term "possessed." Merlin chanced a look at the couple, an saw how somber and pitiful the great knight looked, totally at the mercy of Elise.

_It made sense_, Merlin thought. _He would never hurt her by his own will._

Memories of Sigan's revenge stirred in his mind, and he wondered if something similar was happening.

Elise called in the guards, who returned him to his cell. She stood alone in the center of the room, her back to Merlin's hiding place. The young warlock turned to leave quietly.

"I know you're here, Merlin," Elise sighed, turning to face him.

Having been caught, he cautiously crept around the column, eyeing Elise warily.

"I'm not upset, Merlin," she assured him. "Although I am rather curious." She cocked her head thoughtfully, studying him.

"About what?" he asked, flinching away from her interested gaze.

"You avoid me at all costs, and yet you spy on me."

Merlin opened his mouth to object, but Elise said, "Don't deny it. We both know that's why you fell down the stairs." An amused smile played at the corners of her lips.

Merlin frowned, not only wanting to forget that idiotic incident, but not sure what to say.

Elise moved closer to him. "Why does a servant go to such great lengths to learn information?"

Merlin decided silence was the best response.

Now it was Elise's turn to frown. "You can be honest with me, Merlin." Her tone was no longer had the playful, lofty air about it. It was quieter, sadder. "You know about me more than anyone else does and you keep my secret."

Merlin looked down, breaking her gaze. "There's nothing to be honest about."

Elise turned away, her hair hiding her face. "You may go, Merlin. Out the back way," she added.

Merlin made a swift exit.

Elise sat on a hay stack in the stables, Lucy nibbling on a few strands. When Lucy attempted to eat the fringe of Elise's dress, the lady gave a surprised gasp and said crossly, "No, Lucy! This is Morgana's; I don't want to tell her that my horse ate her beautiful clothes."

Lucy flicked her ears, obviously showing that she could care less, and Elise stroked her muzzle.

"What will I do, Lucy?" she asked softly. "Edmund's in jail for something he didn't do. For something beyond his control…" She broke off, tears ready to escape. "I've doomed us," she said. "I've doomed Camelot."

**A/N: Reviews are much appreciated! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: *gulp* Wow, it's been quite a while since I updated...Um, I'm really sorry about that, and I will definitely be better at updating this story from now on. I'm giving you the next two chapters tonight, and I'm currently working on Chapter 15, so I'll post that sometime next week. Again, my sincerest apologies, and please enjoy!**

Walking through the corridor on his way to Arthur's chamber, Merlin felt a sudden wave of cold air pass over him. He shivered, and looked behind him, seeing if someone had opened a window. When he saw that he was alone, he quickened his pace, wanting to get to Arthur's room as quickly as possible. Then a strange whispering filled his head, a mixture of different voices hissing, and stopped, about to turn around.

"No!" a voice yelled from behind him.

Suddenly Merlin was sent flying across the hall, landing roughly on the opposite side of the floor.

"_Bilewit ácolitus ádrífeÞ deorcnesse!" _A flash of light hit against one of the stone walls; it was so bright that Merlin was temporarily blinded by it. Silence echoed in the corridor as Merlin tried to get up from the floor. Lady Elise stood in the center of the hallway, her brown curls hiding her face from him. Merlin cautiously approached her, not sure of what to say or do.

"It was about to attack you, that's why-"

"You sent me flying?"

"I'm sorry. You're not hurt, are you?" she asked, turning her sad, gray eyes to him.

Merlin shook his head, and the corners of her mouth curved up in relief.

"My lady," Merlin started, "what exactly attacked me?"

"A creature of darkness," she answered. "The same one that attacked me in the woods, the same one that possessed Edmund. It is not his fault he brought it into the city," she said quickly. "They can take possession of you without you knowing it, but most of the time," she said gravely, "you know it. You can feel it."

With the sun setting, the shadows in the hallway lengthened, and Elise looked about worriedly. At that moment, Merlin saw a flicker of movement from the wall behind her. His eyes left hers as he zeroed in on a dark shape creeping closer to Elise's shadow. Without thinking, Merlin pulled Elise out of the way and shouted the spell she had used moments before.

Bursting from his outstretched hand was a great ball of white light, which made solid contact with the wall. Then he heard a distant shriek of pain, and then all was silent, only two shadows remaining on the wall.

Not sure what he just accomplished, he turned back to Elise. "Lady Elise?" he asked worriedly. The poor girl's eyes were as wide as startled doe's, staring apprehensively at him in shock.

"You're- You…have magic?" she stuttered, a first-time thing for the always eloquent Lady.

"I was born with it," Merlin replied quietly.

"Well, it does make sense," she said, her shock subsiding. "Why didn't you tell me?" Her voice was sharp with resentment. "You knew my secret."

"What were you to me?" Merlin asked. "Why did I have any reason to trust that you wouldn't turn me over to Uther if you weren't careful?"

Elise grimaced, at first not denying Merlin's accusation. But then she replied, "I would never do that. I wouldn't condemn an innocent person for my mistakes. Although I'm afraid that's exactly what I've done." Her gaze drifted away from Merlin as her thoughts consumed her.

"My lady," Merlin asked, "How do we stop this creature?" He needed to ensure Arthur's safety; he needed to protect his destiny.

"You destroyed it," Elise said. "But there will be others. Many others."

"Why are they coming here?"

"For me." Elise's answer shocked Merlin. "They want my magic. And if you're not careful, they'll learn you have magic as well, and then they'll try to get to you. It was a fluke that that one attacked you, but if it had possessed you…" She closed her eyes, shaking her head slowly. "I fear for what might have been."

"Lady Elise," Merlin said. "I think you need to explain this more to me."

"You're right. But not here; someone could discover us."

"I know the perfect place. Come with me." And Merlin began leading her down to the dungeons.

**A/N: Please review. Do it for the love of Camelot, if not for me. :)**

**Oh! Important note: The idea for these shadow creatures things came not from an episode of Doctor Who (I saw the trailer for the ep, but I haven't seen it), but from the dementors of Harry Potter and some ghost stories I've read. Just thought I should clarify that.  
**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Enjoy!**

Merlin was pleased that he and Elise didn't cross paths with any of the guards, and so their descent underneath the castle went smoothly. Merlin grabbed a torch and lit it while Elise looked around uncertainly.

"No one's down here, my lady; we won't get caught," he reassured her.

"Merlin, where exactly are we going?" she asked as she followed him down a passageway.

"It's located under the castle. Not many people know it's here, and I'm the only one who even goes there. Be careful," he warned as they got to a staircase. "It's steep."

Elise gathered her dress in one hand and took Merlin's outstretched one with her other. Once they walked down the steps, they walked through a short passage, and then finally stepped onto an outcropping of rock. Elise looked around in wonder, her eyes wide and mouth parted slightly as she took in the immenseness of the cavern. A sudden rattling of chains and whooshing of great wings caused her to stumble back in surprise from the ledge as a great creature flew down from the top of the cave and settled itself on a rock.

"Lady Elise." His voice echoed throughout the cavern and he bowed his head in respect.

"You're the Great Dragon," Elise gasped.

"I see tales of Uther's cruelty have reached even the farthest borders. Yes, I am he," he replied.

Elise looked at Merlin. "How did you find this place?"

"Well, he called me," Merlin explained, "when I first arrived in Camelot."

"Merlin has a great destiny to fulfill," the Dragon said. "But yours, my lady, is no trivial matter, either."

"What do you know of my destiny?" Elise asked, her voice almost a challenge.

"Many things," the Dragon replied, "which will all be revealed in time. Now, I believe there is a purpose for you and Merlin to be here?"

"Yes," Elise said. "Merlin, you need to know my story. The true story of how I came to be in Camelot."

Merlin would've gestured for the pair of them to sit, but he would never have asked the lady to sit on the dirt floor. The Dragon, however, gave a quiet chuckle and picked up a large rock, placing it on the ledge for them to sit upon.

"Sit," he requested. "I would like to hear you story, as well."

Elise and Merlin sat together, and she sighed deeply, gathering her thoughts.

"Well, it starts like this…"

**A/N: The next chapter is going to strictly be Elise's narrative. I have only a third of it written, so please be patient while I finish and perfect it. I want to do her character justice.**

**Please review!  
**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I am so sorry to keep you guys waiting! My computer got a virus twice...Not good. And now that school is out, I'll have more time to write! So please enjoy the lengthy narrative Lady Elise!**

"When Silvergrove first came into being, the people lived in harmony with the forest, much to the thanks of the sorcerers witches who lived among them. The people thrived among the dense trees, never daring to cut them down. The lord of the land saw the protection the forest offered his kingdom, and so he allowed magic to remain in the land, since I was people who were gifted with these powers who guarded the beloved trees.

Many years passed, and the people and forest flourished as one. My father came to power, and then married my mother, who bore an heir to the throne and then me. From an early age they realized I had magic. Much of the magical population begged to be my mentor, but my parents did not see the need at such an early age, so I stayed within the castle boundaries, unless, of course, Frederick or Edmund escorted me into the villages, but I never knew there were others like me.

And then when I was ten, my mother died. My father was close to losing his mind, and not even my brother could console me. I lost control of my powers in a moment of sheer anguish, causing all the windows in the castle to shatter, the beautiful stained glass crashing to the floor…The energy given off by that outburst reverberated throughout the entire kingdom; that's how strong my magic was. No one knew of such power, not even the oldest of the warlocks, and it scared everyone. My family realized I needed to learn how to control it, so father immediately sent out a decree for someone of magical talent to tutor me. Some were afraid to teach me, but one was not. His name was Avolus, and he was one of the eldest villagers. He recognized my potential and treated my power with respect, not fear, so as not to alarm my young mind. Avolus became like a second father to me, with his wisdom and guidance, and his long white beard, bound with leather so as to keep it from blowing in his face on a windy day!

But my father kept me in a strict daily routine after Mother passed. The mornings were devoted to studying magic, and in the afternoons I would play with Frederick, after he was done training with his knights. Sir Edmund started to join us in the afternoons when I had traded playing for leisurely strolls with my brother in the forest. As time passed, my magic grew, as did my control. Avolus was quite pleased with my progress, as was my father and brother. Frederick would often beg me to show him one of my "tricks." He could really be un-princely at the best of times, and that's what those were- the best of times. The best of my life. Frederick, Edmund and I traversing through the forest; sitting with Avolus by the river, practicing new spells; having dinner with Father in the evenings. Silvergrove was like heaven back then. But then everything went wrong…

The days suddenly grew darker. Sunlight was already rare enough, what with the branches forming a dense roof over us. But this was different; the sun was always hidden by dark clouds. The magic users in the villages knew something happening, and they tried to remedy it, but none of their spells worked. Worry and dread filled every person, and no one was surprised when the first villager was possessed. It was awful to see: he would scream in pain constantly, and he would scratch himself bloody. He kept saying that there was something inside of him. We dismissed him as insane, but little did we know that there was something in him. A few more people became possessed, and they all died. This went on for a few months before the possessions stopped altogether. The people were relieved; Avolus, however, was not, and he warned me about dark creatures that could have been behind it.

Apparently, many centuries ago, a race of witches and wizards experimented in the most sinister forms of magic. The people of he ancient kingdom were terrified of the spells that they performed, and so their king ordered for them to be burned, much like Uther did twenty years ago. The sorcerers and the knights fount ruthlessly when the day came. Finally the evil ones were driven into a building and it was set on fire; the screams, it is said, echoed for miles around. What was possessing my people were the shades of those witches and warlocks. They wanted to seek their revenge. I asked Avolus if they were gone, since the possessions had stopped, but he shook his head and said that the shades were becoming more adept to controlling their victims. Several months went by before there was another attack. A huge riot broke out in the lower village. Homes and shops were in flames, and many sought shelter in the citadel. Frederick and his knights went out to stop it. I told him, begged him, not to go; I knew what was happening, that Avolus was right about the shades, that the end was just beginning for Silvergrove. But Frederick kissed my cheek and assured me everything would be all right. The knights returned at daybreak; my brother did not.

After that my father kept me within the confines of the castle, wanting to ensure my safety. Edmund had been appointed as my guard, and he was a great comfort to me in my brother's absence. He had loved Frederick just as much as I had.

More people were possessed, people who were loved, and their friends and families fled to the safety the castle offered. Avolus had cast spells around the part of the castle I was confined to, protecting me from any shades. It wasn't until the day I fled from my home that I learned the true purpose of the shades.

A riot broke out once more among the villagers, this time within the castle walls themselves. I was terrified; all I could hear was screaming and the slashing of swords. Sir Edmund had barricaded me in my room as he stood at the door, ready to kill anyone who broke in. A small knock on my door caused us both to jump, and Edmund demanded for the person to identify himself. To our great relief, it was Avolus, and the knight promptly let him in. The old man hobbled into my room looking weaker than I had ever seen him. I rushed to his side and helped him into a chair. He was having a hard time breathing, and to my great horror I realized he was dying. With his last breaths, he told me that there was no hope for Silvergrove, that I needed to flee from my home. He quickly taught me the spell that you saw earlier, the one I used to drive them away; they hate pure light for it can hurt them, even destroy them. Avolus told me how proud he was of me, and that he wished he could have protected me more. And then he died in my arms, and Edmund laid his body on my bed before rushing me out of the castle with only a few possessions, to the stable. He promised to protect my father, and ordered me to get as far away from Silvergrove as possible. And I did. I rode in circles, trying to hopefully throw any shades that were following me off of my trail. I made Camelot my destination because of Uther's policy towards magic and its distance from home. It took me two months to get hear, but it is only a three week journey; those decoy paths took a lot of time…" Elise stopped, gave a quick sigh, and looked up at Merlin with tear-filled eyes. "I felt safe here, Merlin. I thought they wouldn't find me. But they have, and I can't do anything!"

"Why did they follow you here? Why do they want you?" Merlin asked her softly.

"Avolus told me something, gasped it with his last breath. He told me that the shades need a body in order to regain their full power, and only the possession of strong sorcerer would work. Merlin, they want my magic. They want to use it to create bodies for themselves so that they can truly have their revenge." Lady Elise took a deep, trembling breath. "They will kill me, and then they will kill a whole kingdom of innocent people. So there is only one thing I can do, Merlin." She looked at him with deep sadness filling those gray eyes. "I have to kill myself."

**A/N: Please review! :) They make me happy and make me update faster!**


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